Transposition device for a prefabricated electrical canalization

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a transposition device for a prefabricated electrical canalization, said canalization comprising a certain number of conducting bars distributing different phases including or not the neutral, said bars extending substantially parallel to one another, said transposition device being designed to reverse the position of at least two bars with respect to one another in the canalization. This device is characterized in that it is designed to be incorporated in said canalization, and comprises the same number of portions of bar as the number of above-mentioned bars of the canalization, at least one of these portions of bar being interrupted inside the device so as to form two parts of portions of bars, these parts comprising at their ends a fold towards the outside of said device thus forming an end part that is outwardly offset so as to increase the space between these end parts, this space enabling electrical connection of said end parts of portions of bars with one another by means of a conducting bridge fixed onto said end parts and electrically connecting said end parts via the outside of the set of portions of bars on one side or the other of the device in such a way that the two above-mentioned parts of portions of bar present a different position on input and output of the transposition device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a transposition device for a prefabricated electrical canalization, said canalization comprising a certain number of conducting bars distributing different phases including or not the neutral, said bars extending substantially parallel to one another, said transposition device being designed to reverse the position of at least two bars with respect to one another in the canalization.

In the present state of the art, transposition of the phases or neutral is performed on power supplies situated at the end of the line and gives rise to large volumes. This transposition is performed specifically for each case, resulting in longer lead times and higher costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves these problems and proposes a prefabricated electrical canalization presenting small dimensions, that is easy to incorporate in a line at any level, and that presents a good short-circuit strength.

For this purpose, the object of the present invention is to provide a transposition device for a prefabricated electrical canalization, said canalization comprising a certain number of conducting bars distributing different phases including or not the neutral, said bars extending substantially parallel to one another, said transposition device being designed to reverse the position of at least two bars with respect to one another in the canalization, this device being designed to be incorporated in said canalization, and comprising the same number of portions of bar (1,2,3,4) as the number of above-mentioned bars of the canalization, at least one of these portions of bar (1,2,3 and 4) being interrupted inside the device to form two parts (5,6) of portions of bars, these parts comprising at their ends a fold (7,8) towards the outside of said device thus forming an end part (9) that is offset outwardly so as to increase the space between the end parts (9) of the parts of portions of bar, this space enabling electrical connection of said end parts of portions of bars with one another by means of a conducting bridge (16,17) fixed onto said end parts (9) and electrically connecting said end parts (9) via the outside of the set of portions of bars (1,2,3,4) on one side or the other of the device in such a way that the two above-mentioned parts (5,6) of portions of bar present a different position on input and output of the transposition device, this device being characterized in that transposition is performed on a portion of bar situated at one of the ends of this set of portions of bars, that the other portions of bar in addition comprise a fold such that each of the portions of bar presents two parts extending in parallel planes separated from one another by a certain distance g, this distance g being about a half of that f separating the parts of portions of bars before folding and the parts of portions of bars after folding of the portion of bar situated at the above-mentioned end.

According to a particular feature, this device successively comprises a portion of bar distributing the neutral n and three portions of bars distributing a phase, transposition being performed on the portion of bar distributing the neutral n and the portions of bars designed to convey the phases 1, 2 and 3 in addition comprising a fold such that each of the portions of bar presents two parts extending in parallel planes separated from one another by a certain distance g, this distance g being about a half of that f separating the parts of portions of bar before folding and the parts of portions of bar after folding of the portions of neutral conductor.

According to a particular feature of the invention, transposition is performed in such a way that the whole of the transposition presents an overall dimension corresponding substantially to that of a straight canalization element without transposition.

According to a particular feature of the invention, the two above-mentioned parts of portions of bar each comprise two successive folds and an end part extending parallel to the plane of said part of portion of bar before folding and being offset towards the outside of the device with respect to this part of portion of bar before folding.

According to a particular feature, the above-mentioned conducting bridge presents a U-shaped cross-section, said bridge presenting a base and two wings, said wings being respectively fixed to the two end parts of the parts of portions of bar the position whereof is reversed.

According to another feature, the wings of the conducting bridge are fixed onto said end parts of the portions of bar by means of bolts, nuts and holes provided in said end parts of the portions of bar and in the above-mentioned wings of the conducting bridge.

According to another embodiment, this device comprises a portion of bar distributing the neutral and three portions of bar distributing a phase, respectively a phase 1, a phase 2 and a phase 3, and comprising two transpositions respectively made on phase 1 and phase 3.

According to a particular feature, the transposition made on phase 1 is achieved by a first conducting bridge passing via one of the sides of the device whereas the transposition on phase 3 is achieved by a second conducting bridge passing via the opposite side of said device.

According to a particular feature, the portion of bar distributing the neutral comprises an outward fold over a length corresponding substantially to the length of the conducting bridges so as to create a space for the conducting bridges between the portion of neutral bar and the other portions of bar, the offset between the parts of portions of bar before and after folding in the case of the conductor part distributing the neutral being substantially twice that of the that associated with the parts of portions of bar distributing the phases.

According to another feature, the portions of bar are plated and covered with an insulating material and on the parts of conductor situated inside the conducting bridge the above-mentioned insulating material has been removed over the length of said bridge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

But other features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description which refers to the appended drawings given for example purposes only and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the transposition device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view illustrating electrical connection of two parts of portions of bar on which the transposition is made, before electrical connection of said portions,

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view illustrating this same connection in the connected position of the parts of portions of bar,

FIG. 4 is a side view of two parts of portions of bar on which a transposition has been made, and which are electrically connected via the bottom of the device,

FIG. 5 is a left-hand side view of the previous figure,

FIG. 6 is a top view of FIG. 4,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a transposition device according to a particular embodiment of the invention in which two phase transpositions are made,

FIG. 8 is a front view of the previous figure,

FIG. 9 is a top view of FIG. 8, and

FIG. 10 is a top view of a transposition device according to another embodiment of the invention in which only transposition of the neutral is performed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

A transposition device T for a prefabricated electrical canalization according to the invention is represented in FIG. 1, this canalization comprising in known manner a certain number of conducting bars housed in an insulating case. These bars extend parallel to one another and present different cross-sections according to the rating associated with the bar. These bars distribute the different phases and the neutral in the order in which they are arranged in the canalization.

The transposition device T according to the invention is designed to be incorporated in the canalization and comprises a certain number of portions of bar 1,2,3,4, this number being four in the embodiments described and corresponding to the number of bars of the canalization. These portions of bar 1,2,3 and 4 also extend in parallel manner with respect to one another and are designed to conduct the different phases 1,2,3 and the neutral n in the same order as that of the bars of the canalization.

Thus, in the figures, the portions of bar 1,2,3 and 4 successively distribute respectively the neutral and the phases 1,2 and 3.

The object of the transposition device T according to the invention is to reverse the position of the portions of bar with respect to one another in the canalization.

For this purpose, the portions of bar that are designed to perform a transposition, in the transposition device T, are interrupted inside the device 1 and form two parts of portions of bar 5,6 each comprising two successive folds 7,8 delineating an end part of said part after folding 9 and a part before folding 10. This end part 9, called part after folding, extends parallel to the portion of canalization before folding 10, but being offset towards the outside of the device T with respect to this part 10 (FIG. 2). This offset enables a conducting bridge 16 of U-shaped cross-section to be housed. The length of the end part 9 after folding of each portion of bar 5,6 corresponds substantially to the length of the above-mentioned conducting bridge 16. This conducting bridge 16 comprises a base 10 a and two wings 11,12, these two wings 11,12 being designed to be fixed to the internal face of said end parts 9 after folding of the portions of bar to be electrically connected. For this purpose, these wings 11,12 and these end parts 9 comprise holes 13 designed to operate in conjunction with bolts 14 and nuts 15 to perform said fixation.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7,8 and 9, the transposition is made on the bars distributing the phases 1 and 3. Thus, the end parts 9 after folding of the parts of portions of bar 5,6 and 5′,6′ of the portions of bar corresponding to phase 1 and to phase 3 are interrupted and folded in the manner which has just been described. A first bridge 16 performing transposition of phase 1 is disposed at the top part of the device and connects the parts 5,6 of portions of bar corresponding to phase 1, said parts 5,6 presenting a reversed position with respect to one another. A second bridge 17 performing transposition of phase 3 is disposed at the bottom part of the device and connects the parts 5′,6′ of portions of bar corresponding to phase 3, presenting a reversed position with respect to one another. The bar 2 corresponding to phase 1 thus takes the position of the bar 4 corresponding to phase 3 and vice-versa. It should be noted that in this embodiment the neutral bar 1, which does not comprise a transposition, is folded outwards along four folding lines 18 so as to create a space between said neutral bar 1 and the other bars to house the above-mentioned conducting bridges 16,17.

The portions of bar designed to convey the phases 1, 2 and 3 also comprise a fold 21 so that each of the portions of bar presents two parts extending in parallel planes but at a certain distance d from one another, this distance being about one half of that e separating the parts of portions of bar 10 before folding and the part of portion of bar 9 after folding, of the portions of neutral conductor 1.

According to the embodiment described in FIG. 10, this transposition is made on the bar 1 distributing the neutral n. The portion of neutral bar I is thus interrupted inside the device T and the two parts 5,6 of portions of neutral bar formed are folded in the previously described manner. A conducting bridge 19 is arranged at the bottom part of the device and electrically connects the parts 5,6 of portions of bar corresponding to the neutral presenting a reversed position with respect to one another to the input and output of the device.

The order at the input of the device is therefore neutral, phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, whereas the order at the output is phase 1, phase 2, phase 3 and neutral.

It should be noted that in this embodiment, the portions of bar 2,3 and 4 distributing the phases also comprise a fold. The offset f between the parts of portions of bar before and after folding in the case of the part of conductor distributing the neutral is twice that g associated with the parts of portions of bar distributing the phases.

A transposition device for a canalization has thus been achieved according to the invention that is of simple design and presents reduced overall dimensions corresponding to that of a line element.

This device is easy to incorporate in a line at any level and comes in the form of a standard element presenting a homogeneous short-circuit strength.

The device according to the invention enables the production and ergonomic conditions of assembly stations to be improved. It also enables business design offices to make savings in the time required to install canalizations.

Naturally the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given for example purposes only.

On the contrary the invention extends to encompass all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as combinations thereof if the latter are achieved according to the spirit of the invention. 

1. A transposition device of a prefabricated electrical canalization, said canalization comprising a certain number of conducting bars distributing different phases including or not the neutral, said bars extending substantially parallel to one another, said transposition device being designed to reverse the position of at least two bars with respect to one another in the canalization, this device being designed to be incorporated in said canalization, and comprising the same number of portions of bar as the number of above-mentioned bars of the canalization, at least one of these portions of bar being interrupted inside the device to form two parts of portions of bars, these parts comprising at their ends a fold towards the outside of said device thus forming an end part that is offset outwardly so as to increase the space between the end parts of the parts of portions of bar, this space enabling electrical connection of said end parts of portions of bars with one another by means of a conducting bridge fixed onto said end parts and electrically connecting said end parts via the outside of the set of portions of bars on one side or the other of the device in such a way that the two above-mentioned parts of portions of bar present a different position on input and output of the transposition device, wherein transposition is performed on a portion of bar situated at one of the ends of this set of portions of bars, the other portions of bar in addition comprising a fold such that each of the portions of bar presents two parts extending in parallel planes separated from one another by a certain distance, this distance being about a half of that separating the parts of portions of bars before folding and the parts of portions of bars after folding of the portion of bar situated at the above-mentioned end.
 2. The transposition device according to claim 1, successively comprising a portion of bar distributing the neutral and three portions of bar distributing a phase, transposition being performed on the portion of bar distributing the neutral and the portions of bar designed to convey the phases in addition comprising a fold such that each of the portions of bar presents two parts extending in parallel planes separated from one another by a certain distance, this distance being about a half of that separating the parts of portions of bar before folding and the parts of portions of bar after folding of the portions of neutral conductor.
 3. The transposition device according to claim 1, wherein transposition is performed in such a way that the whole of the transposition device presents overall dimensions corresponding substantially to those of a straight canalization element without transposition.
 4. The transposition device according to claim 1, wherein the two parts of above-mentioned portions of bar each comprise two successive folds and an end part extending parallel to the plane of said part of portion of bar before folding and being offset towards the outside of the device with respect to this part of portion of bar before folding.
 5. The transposition device according to claim 1, wherein the above-mentioned conducting bridge presents a U-shaped cross-section, said bridge presenting a base and two wings, said wings being respectively fixed to the two end parts of the parts of portions of bar the position of which is reversed.
 6. The transposition device according to claim 5, wherein the wings of the conducting bridge are fixed onto said end parts of the portions of bar by means of bolts, nuts and holes provided in said end parts of the bars and in the above-mentioned wings of the conducting bridge.
 7. The transposition device according to claim 1, comprising a portion of bar distributing the neutral and three portions of bar distributing a phase, respectively a phase 1, a phase 2 and a phase 3, and comprising two transpositions respectively made on phase 1 and phase
 3. 8. The transposition device according to claim 7, wherein the transposition made on phase 1 is achieved by means of a first conducting bridge passing via one of the sides of the device whereas the transposition on phase 3 is achieved by means of a second conducting bridge passing via the opposite side of the device.
 9. The transposition device according to claim 8, wherein the portion of bar distributing the neutral comprises an outward fold, over a length corresponding substantially to the length of the conducting bridges, so as to create a space for the conducting bridges between the portion of neutral bar and the other portions of bar, the offset between the parts of portions of bar before and after folding in the case of the part of conductor distributing the neutral being substantially twice that associated with the parts of portions of bar distributing the phases.
 10. The transposition device according to claim 1, wherein the portions of bar are plated and covered with an insulating material and the above-mentioned insulating material has been removed on the parts of conductor situated inside the conducting bridge, over the length of said bridge. 